New polling suggests that the Republican Party is beginning to regain some of its luster and, perhaps as important, is experiencing a surge in excitement among its political base.

A new poll by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press reports that independent voters have an equally favorable opinion of both parties, 50 to 49 percent, a one-point edge for the GOP. That compares to an 18-point Democratic advantage as recently as August, a wide gap that had generally held for more than a year.

And half of registered voters overall now have a favorable opinion of the Republican Party, the highest GOP ranking in three years. Slightly more voters, 55 percent, continue to have a favorable view of the Democratic Party.

The GOP convention and the selection of Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate have also generated considerable enthusiasm among the party rank-and-file. Pew found that three in four Republicans express satisfaction with their presidential choice. In June, only half said the same.

The findings come as the Gallup Poll recently found that the Democratic generic lead among voters, when asked which party they prefer to control Congress, has withered to only 3 points, 48 to 45 percent. Democrats had a double-digit generic congressional advantage on the eve of the midterm elections.

The portion of the public that strongly supports the Republican ticket has grown from 17 percent in August to 25 percent today. Over the same period, Republicans expressing “strong support” for McCain jumped 16 points. Independents expressing “strong support” for McCain rose 9 points. Meanwhile, Democratic “strong support” for Obama rose 7 points, while his backing from independents dropped one point.

Today, Pew finds relative parity in party enthusiasm. Fully 62 percent of Democrats strongly back their candidate compared to 59 percent of Republicans. Democrats had a double digit enthusiasm advantage last month. Other polling has also showed the narrowing of the enthusiasm gap, a measure that can gauge prospective voter turnout.

A recent CBS/New York Times poll shows Obama still maintains a significant enthusiasm advantage. That poll shows that 61 percent of Obama voters are enthusiastic while 47 percent of McCain voters say the same. That marks a 13-point climb for Democrats and a 23-point climb for Republicans in enthusiasm, compared to polling prior to both party conventions.

Obama holds a narrow lead against McCain overall among registered voters in Pew’s polling, 46 to 44 percent, roughly the same margin as last month.

As with other surveys, McCain polls slightly better when the race is gauged among likely voters. Pew finds the presidential contest exactly tied at 46 percent with likely voters, which is considered a more accurate metric.

The Gallup Tracking poll shows Obama slightly ahead 48 to 44 percent among registered voters. That marks a rebound for the Democrat since the two conventions concluded, but a return to Obama’s stature in the summer.

Rasmussen’s daily tracking poll shows the presidential race tied at 48 percent. That also marks a slight though notable recovery for Obama since the conclusion of the Republican convention.

Palin’s impact may have also helped McCain firm up the religious vote.

Pew finds that three in four weekly churchgoing Evangelical Protestants back McCain, a slight gain of 3 points since August. McCain has gained more among religious Catholics, however.

Weekly attending Catholics now favor McCain 52 to 36 percent. In August, those same voters only narrowly favored McCain, 45 to 42 percent.

The Pew poll included 2,509 registered voter interviews conducted Sept. 9 to 14 and has a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points.

Pew found no lopsided shift of women to the Republican candidate, like Gallup, despite some premature reports that Palin’s place on the GOP ticket had caused a rush of female support to McCain.

McCain has gained with independent women, and now trails Obama 40 to 42 percent. In August, McCain trailed 37 to 48 percent with this bloc of women. But those GOP gains are echoed, as Gallup also demonstrated, with independent men. McCain leads with independent men 48 to 35 percent; last month these men only slightly preferred McCain 45 to 42 percent.

To the extent President Bush continues to weigh down McCain’s prospects, the public remains split on whether McCain will take the nation in a new direction. A plurality, 46 percent, predicts McCain would follow the same path as Bush; 42 percent say McCain would take the country in a “different direction.”

Voters continue to say the economy remains the number one issue and Pew finds Obama retains an advantage on the economy; 47 percent believe Obama can best handle the economy compared to 38 percent who say the same about McCain.

Other polling, like that of the Democratic firm Democracy Corps, shows both candidates now at parity on the question of who can better steward the economy. CBS/Times polling found that Obama voters are by a 2 to 1 ratio though more likely to say the economy is worsening.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080918/pl_politico/13584

Thought it was interesting. I think losing control of Congress without things significantly changing for the better has actually helped the image of the GOP.

LeonFSU

09-20-2008, 11:41 PM

I had no interest in reading this thread, but I loved the title. GOP brand, how appropriate. Which brand/quasi corporation will you vote for?

JHG722

09-21-2008, 12:27 PM

I had no interest in reading this thread, but I loved the title. GOP brand, how appropriate. Which brand/quasi corporation will you vote for?

The non-socialist one.

CuseDude87

09-21-2008, 12:52 PM

The non-socialist one.

:pity:

ink

09-21-2008, 12:58 PM

I'm pretty sure someone already posted this article.

JHG722

09-21-2008, 01:03 PM

:pity:

Yeah, okay...

LeonFSU

09-21-2008, 02:38 PM

The non-socialist one.

Ha good luck finding that one!

JHG722

09-21-2008, 03:27 PM

Ha good luck finding that one!

Is that a joke?

LeonFSU

09-21-2008, 03:45 PM

Is that a joke?

Um no. Afraid not.

CuseDude87

09-21-2008, 05:12 PM

Yeah, okay...

Is that a joke?

Really brainwashed, aren't ya?

JHG722

09-21-2008, 05:14 PM

Really brainwashed, aren't ya?

Considering I live in a Liberal household, not particularly, no...

SLY WILLIAMS

09-21-2008, 05:17 PM

Considering I live in a Liberal household, not particularly, no...

My whole family on both sides are extreme lifelong liberals. I even have a liberal lobbyist in my family that worked for Kerry. I'm surrounded, lol. :)

JHG722

09-21-2008, 05:20 PM

My whole family on both sides are extreme lifelong liberals. I even have a liberal lobbyist in my family that worked for Kerry. I'm surrounded, lol. :)

My girlfriend and pretty much all of our friends are Liberals. But most of them have come to realize that I actually have intelligent, thought-out reasons for why I believe what I believe, and they're accepting of that.

A few of them, however, have not.

ari1013

09-21-2008, 10:23 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080918/pl_politico/13584

Thought it was interesting. I think losing control of Congress without things significantly changing for the better has actually helped the image of the GOP.
Bush leaving office will be the best thing for the GOP image.